Incide the Bowl Terceira Island, Azores, Portugal
by Kelly Hazel
Title
Incide the Bowl Terceira Island, Azores, Portugal
Artist
Kelly Hazel
Medium
Photograph - Photograph
Description
This photograph looks out over the Serra do Cume. Terceira was formed by four stratovolcano that overlap one another. This bowl or caldera is part of the Cinco Pico Volcanic Structure, which is the oldest on Terceira Island. Its activity was completed about 370,000 years ago. At the end of that activity, the edges collapsed forming this large caldera which we now call Serra do Cume. Serra do Cume is 7 by 9km; you can see parts of the opposite side of the rim along the horizon in this photograph. The area of the rim where the photograph was created is the tallest part, as it did not collapse. In following years, post-caldera eruptions of basalt as well as pumice fall deposits from younger volcanoes west of Cinco Picos refilled much of the caldera producing an almost-uninterrupted fertile plain which is utilized for Cattle grazing.
It is said that there are 2 cows for every 1 person on Terceira. You can't tell that in this image though, as it was taken in December on a rather cold day, so I guess most of the cows were stabled. On a regular, warmer day, you can see more cows speckling the landscape. It is also neat to note that all of those black fences you see are built with black lava rock. Lava rock is enormously plentiful on Terceira, and it is said that the fenced were built with it in order to clear the pastures for the cows. I am not sure if early cattle farmers had to clear the land of rocks, but the fences are fascinating up close, as no mud or mortar are used to hold them together. The rocks are so rough that friction does a fine job so long as they are laid together properly.
I love to go to these high places and look out over the pastures. I love the perfect straight lines and almost geometric quality of the parcels laid out over the organic flow of the land inside the calderas.
Uploaded
February 28th, 2017
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